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Photograph with mapRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Vehicles, Navigation, And Relative Location, NavigationPhotograph with map description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060293837, Photograph with map. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a feature for a producing a photograph that prints a map of a location associated with the photograph on the back side of the photograph. [0002] Improvements in photography have enabled various kinds of information to be associated with pictures. For example, a time and/or date stamp can be associated with a photograph. The time or date stamp may appear on the actual print of the photograph image or may be associated with a data file of the photograph image. Other improvements allow users to add labels or text to photos. These labels or text may appear in the actual print of the photograph image or may be associated with the data file of the photograph image. Another improvement allows location data to be associated with photographs. The location data may indicate where a photograph was taken. The location where a photograph was taken may be determined using positioning equipment, such as a GPS unit. This type of information is very useful. However there exists room for improvements. [0003] Accordingly, it is an objective to provide a way to indicate a location associated with a photograph that is meaningful to the user. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] To address these and other objectives, the present invention includes a feature for producing photographs. A location is associated with an image. When a photograph of the image is printed, a map showing the associated location is printed on the back side of the photograph. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0005] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system for producing a photograph according to a first embodiment. [0006] FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a process performed by the embodiment of FIG. 1. [0007] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a front side of a photograph produced by the process of FIG. 2. [0008] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a back side of the photograph shown in FIG. 3. [0009] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of a system for producing a photograph. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS I. First Embodiment [0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing components of a system 10 that incorporates a first disclosed embodiment. The system 10 includes an image-obtaining device 12. The image-obtaining device 12 includes a camera component 14 or other item of equipment that incorporates a camera or similar technology. The image-obtaining device 12 is operable by a human operator and may include a suitable user interface. Examples of image-obtaining devices include cameras (digital or film), mobile phones with built-in cameras, video recorders, web cams, etc. The image-obtaining device 12 uses any current or future technology for acquiring and saving visual images (or data versions thereof) of observable views on a media. The image-obtaining device 12 may acquire and save the visual images in analog or digital form. If digital form is used, any suitable format, such as *.jpg, *.bmp, or *.png, may be used. Other formats may also be used. The media on which the visual images (or data versions thereof) are stored may include flash cards, film, disks, memories, and so forth. [0011] The image-obtaining device 12 includes a component 20 that determines the position of the image-obtaining device 12. In one embodiment, the position-determining component 20 is a GPS unit. Alternatively, the position-determining component 20 is implemented using other technology. Such alternatives include DGPS, LORAN, inertial sensors, RFIDs, signal reception technology (i.e., whereby the location of a device such as a mobile phone can be determined remotely using signal triangulation, signal time-of-arrival, direction-of-arrival, etc.) and so on. In yet another alternative, the position-determining unit is an external unit to which the camera component is temporarily or permanent connected, such as a PDA with a GPS unit. Alternatively, the position-determining component 20 may include a user interface through which an operator of the image-obtaining device 12 may specify or input a location. Combinations of different technologies may also be used. The position-determining component 20 may use (or rely on) equipment or components located outside the image-obtaining device 12. For example, in the case of a GPS unit, the position-determining component 20 relies on signals from GPS satellites. [0012] In this embodiment, when the image-obtaining device 12 is operated to acquire an image, data 22 indicating the location of the image-obtaining device 12 is obtained from the position-determining component 20. In the present embodiment, the data 22 indicating the location of the image-obtaining device 12 is obtained at the same time that the image is acquired. The data 22 indicating the position of the image-obtaining device 12 is associated with the acquired image. A suitable application 26 is used for this purpose. Data 24 corresponding to the acquired image and associated data 22 indicating the position of the image-obtaining device 12 are stored on a suitable storage medium 28 in the image-obtaining device 12. If the acquired image is stored as a data file, the data 22 indicating the position of the image-obtaining device 12 may be stored in the same data file on the same data storage medium 28 in the image-obtaining device. Alternatively, the data indicating the position of the image-obtaining device 12 may be stored in another data file and/or on a separate medium. [0013] The image-obtaining device 12 may also acquire additional information about the image, such as the date and/or time that the image was taken. If the image-obtaining device acquires such information, this information is also associated and stored with the image. [0014] When the operator of the image-obtaining device 12 wishes to obtain a printed copy of an image, the data 24 corresponding to the image, as well as the data 22 indicating the position of the image-obtaining device, is transmitted from the image-obtaining device to a print service 30. (The information about the date and time, if available, may also be transmitted.) The print service 30 may be implemented in various different ways. In one alternative, the print service 30 is an online service. In this implementation, the print service 30 is not physically located with the operator of the image-obtaining device 12. The print service 30 includes the hardware and software necessary to send and receive information over a data network. According to this alternative, the operator of the image-obtaining device 12 transmits the data 24 corresponding to the image for which a physical printed copy is desired to the online print service. The print service 30 uses its own equipment that is capable of making a physical printed copy of the image for which the physical printed copy is desired. The online print service 30 sends the physical printed copy of the desired image to the operator by mail (or any other suitable delivery service) or otherwise makes the physical printed copy of the desired image available to the operator. [0015] According to this embodiment, the print service 30 includes a geographic database 36 and a map generating application 34. The geographic database 36 is stored on suitable media, such as one or more hard disks or other suitable data storage device(s). The geographic database 36 includes information about roads or other features in a geographic region. For example, the geographic database 36 includes information about the positions of roads and intersections, the names of roads, etc. The geographic database 36 may also include information about address ranges, the locations of boundaries of administrative or governmental areas or places, such as municipalities, including cities, towns, villages, parks, recreational areas, golf courses, etc, information about points of interest, buildings, bodies of water, and so on. The map generating application 34 is a software application capable of receiving a specification of a location and then rendering a graphical image of a map of an area that encompasses the specified location. The map generating application 34 may be capable of generating map images at different levels of detail or scales. The print service 30 may provide an application that allows the user to specify a desired level of detail or scale of the map to be printed on the back side of the photograph. [0016] FIG. 2 shows a process 50 performed by the system 10 of FIG. 1. [0017] The image-obtaining device 12 is used to acquire an image (Step 52). When the image-obtaining device 12 is used to acquire an image, the position of the image-obtaining device is acquired (Step 54). Data indicating the position is associated with data representing the image and stored temporarily in the image-obtaining device 12 (Step 56). [0018] When the user of the image-obtaining device 12 wishes to obtain a physical copy of the image (i.e., a photograph), the user operates the image-obtaining device 12 to transmit the data 24 representing the image and the associated data 22 indicating the position to the print service (Step 58). As mentioned above, if the print service 30 is an online service, the user operates the image-obtaining device 12 to transfer the data files from the image-obtaining device 12 to the online print service. The file may be transferred directly or alternatively, the data files may be transferred first to a personal computer or other equipment and then transferred to the online print service. [0019] The print service 30 receives the data 24 representing the image and the associated data 22 indicating the position (Step 60). The print service 30 uses the data 22 indicating the position to generate a map of the area corresponding to the position (Step 62). The print service 30 may use the map generating application (34 in FIG. 1) for this purpose. The map generated by the map generating application may show the streets around the location associated with the image, the names of the streets, the locations of points of interest or buildings (or building footprints) in the area shown in the map, the name of the municipality, state and/or country in which the image was taken, bodies of water, and other information or features. When generating the map, the map generating application 34 may use a default scale and level of detail or may use a scale or level of detail specified by the user. Then, a physical photograph 66 is printed on a piece of paper with the image printed on one side (e.g., the front side) of the piece of paper and the map printed on the other side (e.g., the back side) of the piece of paper (Step 64). The photograph with the map is then sent to the user (Step 68). Continue reading about Photograph with map... Full patent description for Photograph with map Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Photograph with map patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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